Whether we should include algebra into elementary school mathematics curricula and how it should be included are issues without straightforward answers. The transition from arithmetic to algebra is also a worldwide pedagogical issue. There have been debates about whether all algebraic topics should be transferred from the elementary to the secondary curriculum during the latest curriculum revision in Hong Kong, especially at the time when almost all students enjoy nine years of free education beginning in Grade 1. Therefore, there is no need to consider the elemetary and secondary curricula separately. The first Hong Kong elementary mathematics curriculum was published in 1967 (before this point, Hong Kong only had an arithmetic curriculum) and revised several times (in 1973, 1983, 1996, and 2000). By interviewing various key persons involved in the curriculum development during each of these periods, we realized that it is not just a matter of «what» kind of algebraic topics should be taught, and «when» they should be taught. Rather, the positioning of algebra in the elementary school mathematics curriculum is related to «why» and “how” algebra should be learned. Such an analysis should not only inform curriculum planners, but also shed light on the learning and teaching of algebra in elementary schools.
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